Can You Get PTSD from a Personal Injury Accident?

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a dangerous mental health condition caused by a traumatic or tragic event or series of events. Those who suffer from PTSD often have serious, recurring problems with moods, emotions, relationships, sleeping, and just day-to-day functioning.

When we hear PTSD, we mostly think of servicemembers who have seen combat overseas. But the truth is, anyone can get PTSD – especially if they suffered a personal injury in an accident, like a car wreck.

What causes PTSD, and how can someone who suffers from PTSD deal with the condition and improve their life?

Causes and Symptoms of PTSD

First, we’ll talk about the symptoms of PTSD so you can understand the effect it has on a person who suffers from it.

The first and most common symptom is recollection. PTSD sufferers often relive the traumatic event that they had to go through, both when they’re asleep (in the form of nightmares) or awake (in the form of flashbacks). These episodes are always unwanted and they can’t always be prevented.

As a result of these episodes – or even outside of the episodes – a sufferer may feel like they’re anxious. They may get chills, heart palpitations, headaches, sweaty palms, dry mouth, and other symptoms of a panic attack.

Another major symptom is avoidance. Those who suffer from PTSD want to do whatever they can to avoid remembering the traumatic event – which includes talking about it to counselors, family, and friends. For them, reliving the event is too painful and disturbing. Because of this, they frequently isolate themselves.

Mood swings can also happen with those who have PTSD. You can go from happy to sad very quickly, or you can experience anger, distrust, guilt, depression, or other symptoms without any real cause. Or, you can react strongly and unexpectedly to stimuli that otherwise wouldn’t affect you.

There are a lot of events that fit this category. Accidents that result in a personal injury definitely qualify. So if you have ever wondered if you can get PTSD from a car accident, or a slip-and-fall, or being injured on a construction site, the answer is an emphatic yes.

Remember: personal injury accidents are scary in and of themselves, but they’re even more distressing and frightening if you’ve been injured. And what’s worse is that you can be reminded of your injury and what caused it every single day because you’ll be in treatment, or you may be wearing a cast or using crutches once you’re out of the hospital.

Plus, if you’ve been in a car accident, your PTSD may trigger whenever you do something as simple as get into a car. Many PTSD sufferers who have been injured in car accidents can’t drive for a long period of time, until they’ve managed to get help with their condition.

Coping with PTSD

It’s really hard to get help with PTSD. You often feel hopeless, like no one could possibly understand you, that it won’t help. But the most important step to recovery is getting professional help.

Getting over PTSD “naturally” just doesn’t happen. It won’t just go away. And while it’s natural to think that talking about the event and the trauma will make it worse, talking will actually help if it’s done in a safe and caring environment.

First, see your physician. He or she can eliminate any physical causes of your mental conditions. Sometimes, our moods can change in response to a physical ailment. Your doctor can rule out any other cause, and then give you a referral to a mental health professional.

There are many counselors, psychologists, and psychiatrists trained specifically to help people with PTSD. They are there to care for you and give you support. They’ll use proven methods to help you cope with the disorder so you can get back to a healthy routine.

We can’t stress enough how important it is to get professional help. Getting help is even more important if your depression is severe enough to result in suicidal thoughts. If this starts happening to you, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. It’s available 24 hours a day.

Don’t feel ashamed about getting professional help. Many people seek professional care for mental health disorders. It’s a lot more common than you think. And no one should fault you for being traumatized by an accident, especially one in which you were injured.

Seeking Legal Help with PTSD

If you have PTSD, that can factor into how much compensation you can get from your serious injury.

Your personal injury attorney will attempt to put a value on your pain and suffering. This is because having PTSD is severely disruptive to your everyday life. Many people with PTSD have to stop working until they recover. That results in real monetary costs in the form of lost wages.

But, beyond lost wages, you deserve to be made whole emotionally and physically as well as financially. The court recognizes that pain and suffering – especially serious trauma – is worthy of compensation. Your attorney will tell the court about your life since the accident and how it’s been disrupted. That will influence how much you are given in a verdict or a settlement.

PTSD is a serious issue. Get help from a mental health professional as soon as you can. And when you’re ready to pursue legal action, contact a personal injury attorney. Your mental health is precious to us, your loved ones, and the professionals who will care for you. Take action and get on the road to recovery. You can do this!